Hands-on Fideua or Paella cooking class in Barcelona

Meet Nicole

Nicole is an American living in Spain since 2007. She graduated from Hofmann Culinary school, a Michelin accredited school, in 2020. Previously she worked as an English teacher for 15 years. Now she likes to combine these two loves - teaching and cooking into one class, as she takes her students through a culinary journey - exploring new ingredients, preparation of traditional dishes and the joy of eating typical Spanish and Catalan dishes. Nicole learned to cook paella and fideua when she first moved to Spain and then after attending culinary school, she was able to improve and gain a better knowledge and understanding of other traditional Spanish and Catalan dishes. She also returned to Hofmann in 2022, and completed a 3-month rice course to learn more about rice and have a better understanding of the very famous Spanish rice dishes. Nicole enjoys meeting people from all over the world and loves how food brings people together no matter where someone is from. She is excited to share tricks and tips she learned to prepare the perfect paella and fideua, in the traditional way.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal (1 - 8 guests) Nicole is a passionate chef that enjoys teaching people how to make paella and fideua from her rooftop terrace apartment in Sants Badal, Barcelona. With this experience you can expect to develop a better understanding on the history and cooking styles of traditional Spanish dishes. A few Spanish favorites that you might try are gazpacho (cold soup made of raw, blended vegetables) and fideua (Spanish seafood vermicelli) or marisco paella (seafood paella). End your meal with a dessert such as crema catalana (custard topped with a layer of caramelized sugar).

Cooking experience (1 - 8 guests) In your 3-4 hour Barcelona cooking class learn how to make a traditional fideua or paella from scratch. Nicole will guide you through the process step-by-step, she will share techniques and tips on how to make the sofrito, along with how to prepare the rice or noodles in the correct manner. Learn to make the stock and sofrito from scratch, along with prepping the protein and then cooking the rice or noodles. After cooking, join her at the dining table to enjoy the meal you helped prepare.

Market visit (1 - 8 guests) Meet Nicole at her apartment and walk together for 10 minutes to Mercat de Sants for your guided market tour. This is a covered market where you can buy everything there from olives, seafood, meat, grains, fruit and vegetables. This is where Nicole buys her fresh, seasonal and local ingredients from, and she will be happy to take you on a guided tour to introduce you to ingredients used in Spanish cooking. Meet her favorite vendors and buy a few ingredients before returning to Nicole penthouse apartment for your cooking and meal experience.